Dogless attachment for circular rib knitting machines



@cfi. 16, W34. w. LARKIN 3,977,517

DOGLESS ATTACHMENT FOR CIRCULAR RIB KNITTING MACHINES Original Filed May 28, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet l Lac-27113" Oct. 16, 1934. w. LARKIN 1,977,517

DOGLESS ATTACHMENT FOR CIRCULAR RIB KNITTING MACHINES Original Filed May 28, 1932 4.Sheets-Sheet 2 W. LARKIN Get. 16, 1934.

DOC-LESS ATTACHMENT FOR CIRCULAR RIB KNITTING MACHINES Original Filed May 28, 1952 4 SheetsT-Sheet 3 patented Oct. 16, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOGLESS ATTACHMENT FOR CIRCULAR RIB KNITTING MACHINES Walter Larkin,

Norristown,

Pa., assignor to Fidelity Machine Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware 4 Claims.

This invention relates to dogless attachments for circular rib knitting machines and more particularly to machines of the type disclosed in the applicants copending application, Serial No.

61 1,2161 filed May 28, 1932, of which the present application is a division.

The construction and operation of the mechanism forming the subject matter of the present application will be fully disclosed hereinafter,

71o reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figs. 1 and 2 constitute a vertical sectional elevation through the center of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4. is .a fragmentary sectional elevation, showing certain elements of Figs. 1 and 3 in different operating relation;

Fig. 5is a sectional elevation of a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation illustrating a further modification within the scope of the invention.

The machine comprises a base plate 1, to which is secured a hollow annular element 2 having a flange 3 on which is secured a base ring 4. The base ring 4 is provided with a fiange 5 to which is secured a cylinder-carrying ring 6 having a counterbore 7 in which is adjustably mounted the lower end of the needle cylinder 8 which is secured to the ring 6 by screws 8a. The cylinder 8 rests on an adjusting'ring 9, which is threaded into the ring 6.

Resting on the base ring 4, and mounted for rotation within a circular opening 11 in the base plate 1, is a cylinder cam plate 10 which is adapted to be rotated by a ring gear 12 secured thereto 3 with its peripheral edge projecting under the circular edge of the opening 11, said ring gear 12 snugly fitting and rotating about the outer peripheral surface of the base ring 4.

Carried by the cylinder cam plate 10 is a cylinder cam ring 15 which is provided with the usual assortment of cams for operating the cylinder needles 16, 16, respectively mounted in grooves i, 17 formed in the peripheral surface of the cylinder 8.

Secured to the rotating cylinder cam plate 10 are vertical posts 18, 18 whichsupport a ring 20 for rotation with the cylinder cam plate 10. The ring 20 is counterbored at 21 to receive and support a relatively stationary fiange 22 of a stationary cylindrical carrier 23.

The carrier 23 is vertically grooved at 24, 24 in substantially vertical alignment with thencedle cylinder grooves 17, 17, respectively. Pivotally mounted in the lower end of each groove 24 is one or more thread-manipulating instrumerr talities 25, and above and cooperating with the thread-manipulating instrumentalities 25 in each groove is one or more actuating jacks 26.

The stationary carrier 23 is provided with a fixed upper head 2'] and a fixed lower head 28 providing bearings 29 and 30 respectively for a rotatable tubular shaft 32, within which is mounted a relatively stationary dial post 33.

To the lower end of the stationary dial post 33 is secured the usual needle dial 34 having radial grooves 35 in which are operatively mounted the dial needles 35. The dial needles 36, as usual, are adapted to alternate with and project outwardly between the cylinder needles 16, 16 for producing a foundation circular knit ribbed fabric in the usual manner.

Secured to the lower end of the rotatable tubular shaft 32 is a dial cam plate 37 which is provided with the usual assortment of cams arranged to operate the dial needles 36 coordinate- 1y with the cylinder needles 16 to produce the circular knit ribbed fabric and to provide ordinary welt, selvedge, and loose courses in the string of tubular fabric being produced on the machine.

In the machine shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the upper head 27 of the carrier 23 rigidly supports a hollow column 40 which rigidly supports at its upper end a circular top plate 41.

Secured to the central hollow column 40 intermediate the stationary carrier 23 and the stationary top plate 41 is a series oi shelves 61 arranged to support bobbins containing threads which are fed downwardly to the threaded-rnanipulating instrumentalities 25, when such instrumentalities take on the form of needle-wrapping fingers, to produce plating on the outside wales of the fabric formed by the cylinder needles 16, 16 respectively.

In order to feed a foundation thread A to the cylinder and dial needles of the machine, that form of the machine illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is provided with a thread-carrying ring 65 which encircles and rotates about the peripheral edge of the stationary top plate =11 within a fixed annular stabilizing guide 66 that is secured to the upper end of a fixed standard 50.

Secured to the rotating carrier-supporting ring 20 are brackets 67 and 68, which respectively support the lower ends of vertical rods 69 and 70 '1 circling tubular shaft 32,

like

having their upper ends secured in the ring 65. One of said rods, as for instance the rod 70, is of hollow construction and projects above the plate 41, as indicated at 71, for the reception of the foundation thread A.

Projecting above and formed integral with the fixed plate 41 is a boss 42 having a bearing 43 for the upper end of the rotatable tubular shaft 32.

Secured to the upper end of the tubular shaft 32 and resting on the bearing 43 is a beveled gear 44 which meshes with a beveled gear 45 secured to the inner end of a horizontal driving shaft 46. The outer end of the driving shaft 46 is rotatably mounted in a bearing 48, formed in a housing 49 which is rigidly secured to the upper end of the fixed standard 56 that is secured to the base plate 1 of the machine. Adjacent the bearing 48, on

the driving shaft 46, is secured a beveled gear 51 which meshes with a beveled gear 52 secured to the upper end of a vertical shaft 53 journaled in the standard 50.

The shaft 53 and the ring gear 12 are geared to the main operating shaft (not shown) of the machine, to effect one complete revolution of the tubular shaft 32, and consequently the dial cam plate 37 carried thereby, for each complete revolution of the cylinder cam plate 10, the cylinder cam ring 15 and the carrier-supporthqg ring 26 carried thereby.

The inner end of the shaft 46 is journaled in a bearing 47 that projects laterally from one side of a circular housing 166 disposed concentric with the stationary dial post 33 and with the enwhich latter is journaled in the bearing 43 formed in the boss 42 on the stationary top plate 41.

The beveled gear 44 is provided with a peripheral annular shouldered bearing surface 161 in rotatable engagement with a corresponding bearing surface 162 in the housing 166.

Secured to the housing 166 is a non-rotatable gear ring 163 which meshes with a planetary pinion 164 secured to the upper end of a short shaft 165 that is rotatably mounted in a bearing 166 carried by an arm 167 projecting radially from the beveled gear 44. To the lower end of the shaft 165 is secured a planetary pinion 168 which meshes with a stationary gear ring 169 secured to the stationary top plate 41.

The beveled gear 44 is rotated within the housing 160 through the horizontal shaft 46, but the housing 160 is prevented from rotating with the gear 44, by reason of the outer end of the shaft 46 being rotatably secured in the bearing 48 that is secured to the fixed standard 50.

As the gear 44 rotates the plnions 164 and 166 are walked around the gear rings 163 and 169 respectively and as the gear ring 163 is secured to the non-rotatable 166 the gear ring 169 and consequently the top plate 41 to which the gear ring 169 is secured are held against rotation about the axis of the shaft 32, which is rotated with respect to the plate 41 and dial post 33 by the rotation of the gear 44.

In the upper end of the housing 166 is formed a circular bearing surface 170 which is eccentrically disposed with respect to the coinciding axes of the tubular shaft 32 and the dial post 33. Rotatably mounted in the eccentric bearing surface 170 is a ring 171 in which is provided an inner circular bearing surface 172, concentric with the outer bearing surface of the ring 171, and which are each eccentric with respect to the axis of the shaft 32 and dial post 33. Mounted within the eccentric bearing surface 172 and resting on the gear 44 is a supporting block 173 which is provided with a cup-shaped cavity 180 having a bearing surface 174 that is concentric with the bearing surface 172 of the ring 171, but which is eccentric to the shaft 32 and dial post 33. The bearing surface 174 is adapted for the reception of a supplementary block 175 which is secured to the upper end of the dial post 33 in eccentric relation thereto, by a pin 176. The eccentric block 175 is vertically adjustable in the cup-shaped cavity 180 of the supporting block '173 and adjustably supports the dial post 33 by means of adjusting screw 177 passing through the eccentric 175 and bearing on the base surface 178 of the cup cavity 180 of the support 173.

The ring 171 is rotated in unison with, but eccentrically with respect to, the gear 44 by means of a link 179, and is provided with an opening or eye 171a, through which the foundation thread A passes from the sweeparm of the stop motion of the machine or other guide located above the machine, the foundation thread passing from the opening 171a in the ring 171 through a corresponding opening 171b formed in the gear 44, the thread then passing to the upper end of and downwardly through the tubular guide 70, carried by the ring 65 and thence to the main thread guide adjacent the needles of the machine.

As a modification of this arrangement, and as shown in Fig. 5, the housing 166 and the top plate 41 may be provided with internal gear rings 163a and 1690. respectively, and the shaft 165 on which the planetary pinions 164 and 168 are secured may be journaled in a ring 166a rotatably mounted on a bearing surface 42a formed onthe outer surface of the boss 42, the ring 166a being secured to the beveled gear 44 by a downwardly extending portion 179a of the link 179,- whereby the two will rotate in unison to carry the shaft 166 around the boss 42 with the pinions 164 and 168 respectively meshing with and walking around the internal gear rings 163a and 16911 which are respectively secured to the housing 160 and top plate 41 to prevent a relative rotation between these normally fixed elements as the gear 44 revolves.

In that form of the machine shown in Fig. 6, the column 46 is eliminated and the gear 44 bears directly on the upper end of the bearing 29 of the upper head 27 of the carrier 23. The flange or ring 22 of the carrier 23 is provided with a fixed gear ring 169b, the teeth of which mesh with the teeth at the'lower end of a pinion 164?) that is rotatably mounted on a stud 165D secured in the rotating ring 20. The teeth at the upper end of the pinion 1642) mesh with the teeth of the ring gear 1632), that is non-rotatably secured to the fixed housing 160.

With either of the dogless constructions above noted, the eccentric relation of the ring 171 and the dial post supporting element 173 with respect to the fixed housing 160 and the dial'post 33 prevents rotation of the dial post 33 and consequently the needle dial 34 at the lower end thereof, as the tubular shaft 32, which drives the dial cap 37, is rotated; and the planetary gearing connecting the fixed housing 160 with the top plate 41, or the carrier 23 as the case may be, prevents rotation of the top plate 41, and/or the carrier 23 and permits feeding of the foundation thread A around these fixed elements without interfering therewith;

In that form of the invention shown in Fig. 6, the foundation thread A passes through the opening 171a in the ring 1'71, thence through the opening 171!) in the gear 44 and into the mouth 71a of a curved end of a tube a which is carried by the ring 20, and from which the thread then passes to the main thread guide adjacent the needles of the machine.

I claim:

1. The combination of a needle cylinder, a needle dial, yarn manipulating instrumentalities above said cylinder and dial, a carrier for said instrumentalities coaxially aligned with the cylinder and dial, means for maintaining the dial in substantially fixed relation to said cylinder, a shaft extending axially through the carrier, a dial cam plate secured to said shaft intermediate the carrier and the dial, a driving element secured to the shaft above said carrier, a rotary supporting element for said carrier, a gear coaxially aligned with and secured to said carrier, a corresponding coaxially aligned gear nonrotatably supported in spaced relation to said carrier gear, planetary gearing carried by one of said elements around and in intermeshing relation with said coaxially aligned gears for securing said carrier against rotation during unitary rotation of said elements, and means for guiding a thread from one to the other of said elements between said relatively spaced coaxially aligned gears for feeding the thread to the needles of said cylinder and dial as said thread is carried around the carrier by said rotary supporting element.

2. The combination of a stationary needle cylinder, a needle dial, yarn manipulating instrumentalities above said cylinder and dial, a carrier for said instrumentalities coaxially aligned with the cylinder and dial, a dial post secured to the dial and extending axially through the carrier, a tubular shaft encircling said dial post, a dial cam plate secured to said shaft intermediate the carrier and the dial, a rotary driving element for and secured to said shaft above said carrier, a rotary supporting element for said carrier, a fixed housing enclosing said driving element, a

gear coaxially aligned with and fixed to said carrier, a corresponding gear coaxially aligned with the carrier gear and secured to the fixed housing, planetary gearing intermeshing with said coaxially aligned gears and carried around said gears by one of said rotary elements for securing said carrier against rotation, an eccentric support mounted in said fixed housing and secured to said dial post above said driving element for securing said dial post against rotation, a thread carrying ring surrounding said eccentric dial support intermediate said eccentric support and a corresponding eccentric bearing surface in said fixed housing, means for operatively connecting said thread ring to'said driving element for unitary rotation therewith, said thread ring and said driving element having passages respectively for a thread being fed to the needles of said cylinder and dial, and means carried by said rotary support for carrying said thread around said carrier.

3. The combination in a circular rib knitting machine, of a stationary needle cylinder, a relatively fixed needle dial, needles in the cylinder and dial respectively, a relatively fixed carrier above the dial and axially aligned with the dial and the cylinder, thread-manipulating instrumentalities in the carrier in cooperative relation to the needles, a cylinder cam plate rotatable about said needle cylinder, a rotary element carried by the cylinder cam plate for supporting said carrier, a dial cam plate rotatable between the dial and the carrier, a tubular shaft axially aligned with the carrier for driving said dial cam plate, a dial post extending axially through the tubular shaft for supporting said needle dial, a rotary driving element secured to the tubular shaft for rotating said shaft, a rotary threadcarrying ring eccentrically mounted with respect to the dial post and tubular shaft, a housing for the rotary driving element concentrically mounted with respect to the dial post and shaft and having an eccentric bearing surface for said thread-carrying ring, means for holding the housing against rotation with the shaft, an eccentric support for the dial post mounted within said eccentric ring and resting on said rotary driving element, means operatively connecting the rotary driving element and the ring, a pair of gears fixedly connected to the housing and the carrier respectively, planetary gearing carried by one of said rotary elements around and intermeshing with the carrier and housing gears to maintain the said relatively fixed relation between the carrier, the needle cylinder and the needle dial, and thread guides carried by said rotary elements for feeding a thread to said needles and for carrying said thread around the said fixed carrier, cylinder, and dial.

4. The combination, in a circular rib knitting machine including a stationary needle dial and cylinder, of a stationary casing above said dial, a dial post, means in said casing for non-rotatably supporting said dial post at its upper end said dial post having said dial fixedly secured to its lower end adjacent said cylinder, a rotatable tubular shaft surrounding said dial post, a dial cam plate adjacent said dial and secured to the lower end of the tubular shaft, a rotary drive element secured to the upper end of the tubular shaft within said casing, a stationary bearing for said shaft and for vertically supporting said drive element said shaft and said dial cam plate, a rotatable supporting element for vertically supporting said stationary bearing, a pair of vertically spaced gears fixedly secured to said stationary casing and said stationary bearing respectively, planetary gearing carried by one of said rotary elements around and intermeshing with said pair of coaxially aligned gears for maintaining said bearing against rotation with said drive gear and said rotary support, a thread ring rotatably mounted in said casing eccentrically around the dial post and the supporting means thereof, and thread guides carried by said thread ring said drive element and said rotary supporting element respectively for guiding a thread from above and through said casing and between said fixed pair of gears to said rotary supporting element and around the dial post supports in said casing and the stationary bearing of said shaft.

WALTER LARKIN. 

